A farewell to Bubs: craft beer in Cardiff in 2022
This is a brief post about a deeply unfashionable subject, apart from those who live in Cardiff and its environs (as I partly do).
What most would see as the leading craft beer bar in Cardiff, Bubs closed on 8th January. The landlord has found a burger chain that will pay a lot more rent. Ive been a regular visitor to the bar going back to the days when it was, briefly, an outpost of Bristol’s Small Bar. As someone who frequents the beard and beer bars and taprooms of north-east London I think the beer range in Bubs equalled and sometimes surpassed what could be found in those- many- venues. That’s a tribute to the staff who’ve always ensured a friendly and in recent times COVID safe bar.
What will happen to craft beer in Cardiff in 2022 after Bubs its fair to say will not be discussed in the craft beer scene in London. Most other areas of the UK warrant interest and attention but the question I’m asked about Wales is whether I know anything about a particular Welsh brewery. There are in fact lots of them which mainly produce cask beer. Cask is not a big feature of the craft beer scene in Cardiff but it is a place where a lot of cask is still drunk (more so than in London).
Anyway fortunately there is a future post-Bubs and Chris Rowlands the owner has posted an update which you can find on FB and Insta or via their twitter @BubsCardiff. I have enough trouble grappling with the machinations of big business in my day job as a union officer so I’m sure Chris knows what he is doing small business wise but the upshot seems to be that there will be a new central Cardiff venue probably by early Spring.
The craft beer scene in Cardiff, Bubs aside, is actually not too bad as we enter 2022 but perhaps not flourishing as it still is, mostly, in London. That no doubt reflects issues around the economy with Wales being in the main a low wage area.
There are several well established bars such as Tiny Rebel and Brewdog in the centre as well as the newer arrival of the Head of Steam- ironically next door to what was Bubs. Brains sell out to Marstons means that the City Arms by the Principality Stadium is no longer the craft beer pub it was sadly. However the Brew Monster tap room near the Castle remains open and Mad Dog have got permission to open a tap room just up from Tiny Rebel.
Just outside the centre- but taking into account that public transport in Cardiff is poor- the Crafty Devil tap is still flourishing and Pop’n’Hops a drink-in craft beer bottle/can shop with draught promised is an excellent location (but check bus times). There are two well established craft bottle shops in Roath and Cathays and of course the Discount Supermarket (just up from Pop’n’Hops) is still providing an interesting bottle and can range.
Once the latest round of the pandemic declines somewhat I’ll be venturing out to try some beer…
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